“Ronald Merrill skillfully weaves his professional expertise in geomagnetism with related scientific issues and personal anecdotes to create a broad intellectual tapestry that, in its many fascinating diversions and anecdotes, gives insight into how the mind actually works while exploring a question of abiding interest. Reading this book will be a learning experience for almost everyone—and an unfailingly pleasant one at that!”

“Part science, part history of science, and part personal experience, Our Magnetic Earth seamlessly draws together a variety of seemingly unrelated topics—from climate to space weather to geologic time to the Sun—under the grand heading of magnetism. [Readers will be amazed to learn] just how much the field of magnetism has contributed to earth sciences and to our current understanding of our planet’s past, while they also enjoy the many wonderful anecdotes from working scientists with which Merrill sprinkles the book. Ultimately, we come away from this book understanding both much, much more about magnetism and about the importance of scientific literacy in today’s society.”